Emergents

The so-called emergent church is a very dangerous and subtle movement mostly from within existing evangelical circles. The idea is a new era is emerging. This is nothing but part of the very broad New Age movement where the emphasis is on an alleged “shift in consciousness” towards a golden era- a shift away from the era of the fish (Christian symbol in past ages of persecution. The word “fish” in Greek is IXTHUS- these letters are used to form the phrase “Iesus Xriston Theo Yios Soter- “Jesus Christ God’s Son our Savior”). In Astrology the Water-carrier (AQUARIUS) is the next symbol following the fish (PISCES). Thus the New Age movement, including the emergent church, likes to use the rainbow (carrying water) as their symbol/ logo. This logo usually does not have the usual seven colors of a real rainbow but rather less or more colors. The rainbow is sometimes used to indicate unity- people of different colors and creeds uniting in one; it is also sometimes used to indicate “God”s outpouring of “the spirit” and manifest in experiences such as trances, “falling/ laughing/ dancing/ spitting/ vomiting etc in the spirit”.

In reality the emergent church is indeed an emerging of falsehood that prepares the way for the Antichrist- who will not come as the Antichrist but as “the Christ”- thus deceiving many. He will oppose everything that is called God and exalt himself above God and will sit in the rebuilt Jewish temple “shewing himself that he is God.” 2 Thes 2:4.

Emphasis are placed on things like “Contemplative spirituality” and candles instead of Biblical prayer. The saying often goes “I am spiritual not religious”.

Since the devil is the father of all lies he distorts truth of the pure gospel of Chirst in subtle but cunning ways.

Here are some quotes from emergent church leaders: (source= http://www.forgottenword.org/emergent.html FORGOTTEN WORD MINISTRIES)

“The church has been preoccupied with the question, “What happens to your soul after you die?” As if the reason for Jesus coming can be summed up in, “Jesus is trying to help get more souls into heaven, as opposed to hell, after they die.” I just think a fair reading of the Gospels blows that out of the water. I don’t think that the entire message and life of Jesus can be boiled down to that bottom line.”—Brian McLaren, from the PBS special on the Emerging Church

“Emergent doesn’t have a position on absolute truth, or on anything for that matter. Do you show up at a dinner party with your neighbors and ask, ‘What’s this dinner party’s position on absolute truth?’ No, you don’t, because it’s a non-sensical question.”Tony Jones at the 2005 National Youth Workers Convention

“Meditative prayer like that we experienced in the labyrinth resonates with hearts of emerging generations.”—Dan Kimball, Vintage Faith

“My goal is to destroy Christianity as a world religion and be a recatalyst for the movement of Jesus Christ,” McManus, author of a new book calledThe Barbarian Way, said in a telephone interview. “Some people are upset with me because it sounds like I’m anti-Christian. I think they might be right.”—Erwin McManus, from The Barbarian Way

“Many Christians use “Breath Prayers” throughout their day. You choose a brief sentence, or a simple phrase that can be repeated to Jesus in one breath.” —Rick Warren

“I stopped reading from the approved evangelical reading list and began to distance myself from the evangelical agenda. I discovered new authors and new voices at the bookstore-Thomas Merton, Henri Nouwen and St. Teresa of Avila. The more I read, the more intrigued I became. Contemplative spirituality seemed to open up a whole new way for me to understand and experience God. I was deeply moved by works like The Cloud of Unknowing, The Dark Night of the Soul and the Early Writings of the Desert Fathers.” —Spencer Burke, The Ooze